The long-running rumors were confirmed when Playground Games and Microsoft revealed that Forza Horizon 6 will be set in Japan. The reveal came ahead of the Tokyo Game Show via the franchise’s official Instagram account, accompanied by a short teaser trailer announcing the festival’s new location and a 2026 release window.
The Instagram post reads: “The Horizon Festival is heading to Japan.” Microsoft also confirmed that the title will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one and will support Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing a single purchase to be played on both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs.
Forza Horizon 6 promises to be wonderful
The 2026 launch slots Forza Horizon 6 into a busy year for Xbox and Playground Games. Alongside Horizon, Microsoft’s lineup for the same period includes Gears of War: E-Day, a remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved, and a new Fable developed by Playground Games.
Japan’s diverse landscapes — from coastal highways and neon-soaked cityscapes to winding mountain passes — present a rich playground for the franchise’s signature high-speed races and drifting sequences. Fans are already imagining iconic locations reworked into open-world festival hubs, promising breathtaking vistas and adrenaline-packed driving.
The announcement arrives at a high point for the franchise. Forza Horizon 5, released in 2021, only arrived on PlayStation 5 this year and quickly climbed the PlayStation Store charts, reaffirming the series’ broad and lasting appeal across platforms.
Microsoft’s increasing multiplatform approach appears to be paying off, but the initial Forza Horizon 6 announcement did not include details about a PlayStation release. Given the success of the previous title on Sony’s hardware, a PlayStation launch remains a reasonable possibility — though it may arrive later than the Xbox/PC release.
For now, Xbox and PC players will be first in line to experience Playground Games’ next festival. Expect more details, gameplay reveals, and trailers to follow as we approach the 2026 launch window.
